Mood:
energeticNow Playing: Venezuela rejects US sanctions, evaluates oil supply to US
Topic: USA IMPERIALISM
Venezuela rejects US sanctions,evaluates oil supply to US 5.25.11 http://www.correodelorinoco.gob.ve/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/COI651.pdf http://www.chavezcode.com/ http://www.correodelorinoco.gob.ve/english-edition/ Venezuela’s government strongly rejected the Obama administration’s attempt to sanction its state-owned oil industry, PDVSA, and interrupt its relations with other nations. Latin American nations and groups worldwide have expressed support for Venezuela’s defiant stance---------------------------------------
“Sanctions against the homelandof Bolivar? Imposed bythe US imperialist government”,declared Venezuelan PresidentHugo Chavez on Twitter this Tuesday(@chavezcandanga), “Bring iton, Mr. Obama. Do not forget thatwe are the children of Bolivar”, heexclaimed, reminding his morethan one and a half million followerson the social network that“the true impact of this latest USaggression is the strengthening ofour nationalistic and patriotic moralein Venezuela!”On Tuesday morning, the USState Department, announced itwas imposing unilateral sanctionsagainst seven internationalcompanies, including Petroleosde Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA). Thisdecision marks the first time theUS government has taken directhostile action against the Venezuelanstate-owned oil company,which is one of the largest oilcompanies in the world.According to State Departmentreleases, the sanctions fall underthe Iran Sanctions Act (ISA) of1996, as amended by the ComprehensiveIran Sanctions, Accountabilityand Divestment Act(CISADA) of 2010, for alleged “activitiesin support of Iran’s energysector”. In the case of Venezuela,the State Department claims PDVSA“violated” the US legislationby “selling at least two cargoesof reformate to Iran between December2010 and March 2011”.Reformate is a blending componentthat improves the quality ofgasoline, which somehow, the USgovernment alleges, can help enableIran to make nuclear bombs.The State Department clarifiedthat in the case of PDVSA, the sanctions“prohibit the company fromcompeting for US government procurementcontracts, from securingfinancing from the Export-ImportBank of the United States, andfrom obtaining US export licenses”.The US sanctions do not affectVenezuela’s supply of oil to theUnited States, as clearly the Obamaadministration would not wantto directly affect its own interests.Nor do the sanctions apply to PDVSAsubsidiaries, such as CITGO, aUS corporation owned by PDVSAwhich has seven oil refineries andover 10,000 gas stations throughoutthe United States.BRING IT ONThe Venezuelan governmentreacted firmly to the unilaterallyimposed sanctions, clearly statingit will no adhere to any decisionmade by the US governmentregarding its oil business, nor willit accept any US interference in itsrelations with other nations. Duringa joint press conference lateTuesday afternoon, Venezuela’sForeign Minister, Nicolas Maduro,and PDVSA President and OilMinister, Rafael Ramirez, labeledthe US sanctions as a “hostile actof aggression” against the SouthAmerican nation. They also announcedthat Venezuela is “thoroughlyevaluating its response”and whether the US decision will“affect the supply of 1.2 millionbarrels of oil daily to the US”.On Wednesday, thousands ofworkers at PDVSA’s installationsthroughout Venezuela protested theUS sanctions and stated they would“defend their oil sovereignty” in theface of “US aggression and interference”.“PDVSA is a sovereign,dignified company that no longerbows down to US agenda”, workersdeclared, rallying at the company’sheadquarters in Caracas.President Chavez, who is recoveringfrom a knee injury andhas been forced to limit his publicappearances, tweeted throughoutthe day. “We don’t just have thelargest oil reserves in the world.We also have the most revolutionaryoil company in the world!”In another tweet, he exclaimed,“So, they wanted to see and feelthe flame of the people of Bolivardefending the independence ofthe Venezuelan homeland? Well,there you have it!”Venezuela’s legislative body alsoissued a firm declaration on Tuesdayrejecting the US-imposed sanctionsand warning the US to ceasethe hostilities against the SouthAmerican country or Venezuelacould stop its oil supply northward.The 40% opposition, anti-Chavez coalition in the Venezuelanparliament refused to adhere to thedeclaration, instead expressing approvalfor the US sanctions. ManyVenezuelans saw this as a posturebetraying their own sovereigntyand national security.INCREASING AGGRESSIONThe US government, which supporteda briefly successful coupd’etat against President Chavezin 2002 and has since been heavilyfunding anti-Chavez groupswith millions of dollars in orderto build an opposition movementin Venezuela, has been increasingits aggressive policies towardsthe Chavez administration duringthe past few years. In 2006,the State Department imposed itsfirst sanction against Venezuelafor allegedly “not fully cooperatingwith the war on terrorism”,and prohibited the sale of militaryequipment to the South Americancountry from the US or any companyin the world that uses UStechnology. In a clear attempt toleave Venezuela defenseless, thissanction has been renewed eachyear to the present date, thoughthe Chavez government hasfound other suppliers of defensematerials not subject to US pressures,such as Russia and China.In 2008, the Bush administrationevaluated placing Venezuelaon its unilateral “state sponorsof terrorism” list, but concludedit wasn’t possible, due to US dependenceon Venezuelan oil. Thisyear, calls from ultra-conservativemembers of Congress, includingIleana Ros-Lehtinen and ConnieMack, both Florida Republicanswho run the House Foreign RelationsCommittee, have vowed totake “direct actions against HugoChavez”. These latest sanctionsare a clear result of their pressure,and that of the still influential anti-Castro Cuban-American lobby,on the Obama administration.In addition to the multi-milliondollar US funding of anti-Chavezgroups in Venezuela, which feedsan ongoing internal conflict andclimate of destabilization, the USgovernment has also been waginga severe demonization campaignagainst the Chavez governmentin international media. In2010, the US Directorate of NationalIntelligence (DNI), labeledPresident Chavez as the regional“Anti-US Leader” in its annual“Worldwide Threat AssessmentReport”. The Venezuelan Presidentis also regularly referred toas authoritarian, dictatorial andanti-democratic in US media, despitehis overwhelming victoriesin several elections and his oversightof Venezuela’s most vibrantdemocratic process in history.Ros-Lehtinen and Mack haveagain requested the White Houseplace Venezuela on the list ofstate sponsors of terrorism thisyear. Though this is a far-fetchedobjective, this week’s sanctionspave the road towards an evenmore aggressive policy towardsVenezuela, the country with theworld’s largest oil reserves.Chavez faces reelection in 2012,and opposition candidates arebickering over who could unifytheir parties to challenge theoverly-popular head of state. Sofar, Washington’s hostility is notaiding the opposition, but is actuallyunifying Venezuelans againstforeign interference. Some fearthe Obama administration couldattempt a “Libya-esque” planagainst Venezuela: demonizingthe President, funding and supportingthe opposition, buildingup military presence in the regionand sanctioning the government,all with the goal of provoking regimechange “by any means”.Meanwhile, Venezuelans standstrong against US efforts to underminetheir democratic process. Written By:T/ Eva GolingerP/ Agencieshttp://www.chavezcode.com/
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